John Hunter Nemechek completed the first back-to-back victory effort of his career, convincingly winning Saturday’s Ambetter Health 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to follow up a big victory last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Nemechek held off rookie Chandler Smith by 0.424s on an overtime restart, leading a race-best 137 laps in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and becoming the winningest driver in the series this season with four victories – upping his career total to six. The 26-year old second-generation NASCAR star now leads the championship run by 33-points over Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Hill, a three-time race winner in 2023 and the third place finisher on Saturday.
“They’ve had dominant JGR Supras the last couple years and I had to hold up my end of the bargain,’’ said a smiling Nemechek, who at one point led the field by more than 4s.
“It’s nerve-wracking for sure (the final restart), so I’m so proud of this No. 20 team and everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing,’’ Nemechek added, “I think (it was) our first clean race of the year and hats off to all our guys.
“I love coming up here, and shout out to a driver who is one of the masters up here,’’ he said with a smile, conceding “The Master” was tomorrow’s NASCAR Cup Series polesitter and JGR teammate Christopher Bell.
“I was a little worried there with the last restarts. We kept getting really good launches and were able to clear them but I didn’t know who was sav ing what. I was trying to save for Cole (Custer), he really pushed us there.”
The runner-up finisher Smith, who earned his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series pole position on Friday, led only the first lap but stayed in contention and kept the front pack honest throughout the day. Unfortunately for the 21-year old Kaulig Racing driver, there was a malfunction with his cool suit on the steamy summer New England afternoon and he was treated with IVs at the care center following the race, but reported being in good shape overall.
The race on the 1.058-mile oval included 10 caution periods — the last forcing an overtime finish. Nemechek had just rolled under the white flag when a pair of his closest challengers on the day – Cole Custer and Sheldon Creed — crashed behind him dueling for third place. The incident ended the race.